News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-02-17
The Railroad Disaster.

W
pany with Ex-Gov. Pingree, Chair
man of the board, visited the scene of
action as early as Z O'Clock, and be-
fore hand had been lifted toward re-
moving the dead. Mr.. Watson says
that both Mr.. Pingree and himself dis
covered lying upon the ice "a distinct
human forms in a charred condition,
and two resemblance to bodies which
they were doubtful about. Suisse
quently, on the same day, six other
bodies were removed from the water
and ruins, and on the following day
five more discovered, making a total
of 80 passengers known to have been
killed. Add to this number Conduc-
tor Sturtevant, and Brocklebanks, the
brakeman, who soon after died, and
the grand total is 81. Mr.. Watson
thinks circumstances favor the theory
that some bodies were cremated under
the burning timbers of the bridge.
The theory that the accident was
caused by a broken rail is gaining
ground in this vicinity, but an eminent
civil engineer of Philadelphia sug-
gests that the accident may have re-
suited from defective rail joints or
splice plates.
Late tonight the body of Herbert
A. Thayer, of Chateaugay, N. Y, was
fully identified by his father and moth
er. Two more of the 81 on the train
have been accounted for-Mr. Veazey,
who escaped from the wreck and was
driven to Hanover, taking the train
from there home, and Mrs. Wesson,
of Springfield, whose body was the
first identified, and was removed from
the morgue Saturday, and therefore
was not included in the surgeons es-
innate of Sunday. This leaves but
two missing. Nothing has been
learned as yet of Edgar Wilder, of
St. Adams. James and Kiley and
Polly Arel have improved so much as
to be able to be taken to their homes
tomorrow.
Dead-Frank Wesson of Springfield,
Mass. Edward T. Dillon of Springfield,
VT; S. S. Wescott of Burlington, Vt. :;
. Wescott, his son; d. Maigret of
Schainigan, Que. Edward Brocklebank
of Boston, Pullman conductor Miss
Nancy Dunbar of Somerville; Cephas
Mills of IrOquOis, Ont. a. J. Hammer
of Maiden, porter Smith G. Sturtevant
of st. Adams; D. D. Woodward of Wat
erbury, VT; Mrs. William Devineau of
WinOOSki, VI; Francis Flynn of Wor-
ceSter; George J. Bell of Bellows Falls,
vt. ; Delima BrOdeau of Nashua, n. II. !;
Louis B. James of New Haven, Ct. :;
. Boulanger of Holyoke, young girl !;
Charles CadieuX of Rockville, Conn. !;
James A. Stone of Burlington, vt.
Missing - Peter Blair of Warren,
Mass. Frederick Blair of Warren,
Mass. !; Agnes Rogers of Monroe, n.
H.; VIM. J. Haggerty Of Providence,
r. l.; Daniel Mcdonald of Lowell,
Mass. /; Homer Riggs of Middlebury, VT;
David Mari of Providence, r. L.
THE HEARING BY THE COMMISSIONERS.
The testimony taken by the railroad
on Tuesday was largely that
of railroad men with reference to the
cause of the accident, and it went al
most unanimously to show that it was
not the rail which first broke, but that a
wheel or axle broke on the rear Pull
man car and this broke the rail and
caused the accident. The railroad COM
pany are evidently anxious to have this
theory established on the ground, pre-
that finding to this effect
will throw the responsibility for damage
on to the Pullman company. ROadmaS-
ter Beams testimony was very strong on
4, 10 ha1 ,~l
the place where the car went off with
great care, and he explained infinitely
the evidences which showed that the
original trouble was with the wheel or
axle.
Superintendent Mulligan of the Con-
necticut River road, who was called to
the stand on Tuesday, expressed the
opinion that the broken rail was not the
primary cause. He had examined the
scene carefully, and was satisfied that
the axle of the Pullman car broke first,
but from what cause he didn't know.
This broke the rail and tore it out, and
then the other cars were pulled over.
Before leaving the stand he explained
the Emerson system of Steam-heating
in use on some trains of the River road.
He did not think steam heating was
nearly enough perfected to be univer-
sally adopted, but it was only a matter
of year or two before stoves and kerO-
sene lamps would be displaced every
where.
Officials from other roads expressed
views similar to those of Mr.. Mulligan
as to the cause of. the accident.
Several passengers detailed their eX-
periences to the commission but added
nothing of Importance to the facts al
ready known.
Wednesday morning the commission
ers went to the scene of the wreck, and
made a personal examination of the
rOad-bed. On their arrival Engineer
Pierce got upon the engine and eX-
planned to them the workings of the air
brake, pointing out the exact points
where the brakes were applied and left
off in approaching the bridge Friday
night. The first fact aScertained was
that the exact place where the first raj
broke was on wide tie, and not be-
tween two ties. The remainder of the
investigation was of the marks upon
the ties made by the derailed wheels
On their return to White River Junction
the commissioners visited such of the
wounded as were in condition to be seer
and took their testimony. Ibis con-
sisted in the main of relation of per
SOnal experiences similar to those al
ready given, and added no new facts tC
those already known.
The hearing was continued at the
Junction House Monday evening as tC
the causes leading to the recent disaster
Charles III. Pierce, the engineer, was re-
called and made the additional state.
ment that when his signal bell first
sounded, as he was nearly to the centre
of the bridge, he instantly applied the
air brake and at the same time looking
10 fro 70 IL o+
opened wide the throttle to save the for
ward part of the train; could not say
whether he let the air brakes off or not.
After yanking away from the train he
did not shut off again till he reached the
opposite side of bridge. This was ac-
counting for the engine running so far
after the signal was given.
Frank IL. IhraSher recalled, testified
When | heard the signal bell | at once
stepped out between the engine and ten
der on the left hand side and seeing the
cars rolling off one by one on the right
| thought we were going to, and as the
engine was nearly stopped | got ready
to step off Oh the bridge, but the engine
starting ahead the coupling broke and
we went off the bridge before stopping.
James Fitzpatrick, the section man
recalled and described more infinitely
than before the exact condition of the
broken rails, but no new points were
elected from him.
The papers all speak in the highest
terms of Ex-Governor Pingree, chair
man of the board of railroad commits
siOners. He resides at Hartford and the
accident happened near his home. He
was on the spot before daylight and i'm
mediately rOped in the place and organ
lied the admirable, system of recovery